Yarn texturing apparatus



1967 H. w. GOODNER YARN TEXTURING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct.1, 1963 FlG.l.

CONTROL CIRCUIT AIR SUEPLY INVENTOR. HOMER w. GOODNER flfi 0' a ATTORNEYJan. 24,

H. W. GOODN ER YARN TEXTURING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 1 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet2 =SOLENOID I28 n20 I22 l I24 i I26 I30 7 L J ll8 :E

INVENTOR.

HOMER W. GOODNER {I ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,299,780 YARNTEXTURING APPARATUS Homer W. Goodner, Pensacola, Fla, assignor toMonsanto Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Get. 1, 1963, Ser. No.313,092 6 Claims. (Cl. 91-35) The present invention relates to apparatusfor crimping or texturin-g yarns intermittently along the length of theyarn. More particularly the invention relates to control circuits forsuch apparatus.

Textured yarns may be produced by passing yarn through the meshed regionof a pair of driven meshed gears so that the yarn is deformed by thegear teeth, as disclosed, for example, in Bromley et al. Patent No.3,024,516. Intermittently textured yarns, desirable for novelty effects,may be produced by alternately meshing and disengaging the gears. Suchapparatus should preferably be adjustable in its operation in order toprovide selective control over the relative lengths of textured anduntextured portions of the yarn. At economic processing speeds, thecyclic repetition rate at which such apparatus would be required tooperate would be excessive for ordinary relay switching circuits.

Accordingly an object of the invention is to provide yarn texturingapparatus adapted to intermittently texture yarn.

A further object to the invention is to provide apparatus of the abovecharacter which permits intermittent text-uring of yarn at economicprocessing speeds.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the abovecharacter which permits variation in the meshed and disengaged periodsof the texturing gears.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the abovecharacter which opens and closes the texturing gears in numerous anddifferent cyclic periods at high speeds.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the abovecharacter which is simple, reliable and economical.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and objects of theinvention, reference should be made to the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic front elevation view of a preferred yarn texturing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an elevation view, partly in section, of the texturin-g gearassembly of FIGURE 1 as viewed along line 2-2 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of the control circuit in FIGURE1.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, yarn 20 is withdrawn from a supply package 22past conventional guides 24 and 26 by a pair of driven feed rolls 28 and30. Yarn 20 next is wrapped for one or more turns about a draw pin 32,which may be electrically heated, and then is fed to the texturingassembly 34. As will be more fully explained, texturing assembly 34imparts latent crimps to the yarn. The textured yarn next passes througha conventional guide 36 to a yarn take-up mechanism 38. Take-upmechanism 38 may be of any desired type although a yarn twister take-upis preferred and illustrated.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, texturing assembly 34 is mounted on asub-frame 40. A drive shaft 42 driven by motor 44 extends throughsub-frame 40, and has rigidly mounted on its outer extremity a crimpinggear 46. A conventional separator roll 48 is rotatably mounted onsub-frame 40 for cooperation with gear46, and has its axis slightlyskewed with respect to the axis of gear 46. Yarn 20 is passed in severalwraps around crimping gear 46 and separator roll 48, which serves toadvance the yarn between successive wraps on gear 46.

A second crimping gear 50 is mounted for cooperation with gear 46 inorder to crimp yarn 20 when gears 46 and 50 are meshed. In the preferredembodiment illustrated, gear 50 is supported by a generally C-shapedmounting bracket 52, which in turn is pivotally mounted on sub-frame 40'by a pivot pin 54. Gear 50 is rigidly mounted on a shaft 56 which isjournalled for rotation in the arms of bracket 52. A spur gear 58 isrigidly attached to crimping gear 50, and is continually meshed with amating spur gear 60 which is similarly rigidly attached to crimping gear46. A reversible fluid motor 62, illustrated as a pneumatic cylinder, ispivotally mounted on a bracket 64 extended outwardly from sub-frame 40and has its piston 66pivotally attached to the rear of bracket 52 .by asuitable linkage 68.

In the apparatus as thus described, shaft 42 is continually rotated bymotor 44, thus continually rotating crimping gear 46 and its spur gear60. When piston 66 is extended by cylinder 62 from the retractedposition illustrated in FIGURE 2 to the extended position of FIGURE 1,bracket 52 together with crimping gear 50 is pivoted about pivot pin 54until crimping gears 46 and 59 intermesh, crimping yarn 20. Since spurgears 58 and 60 are continually in mesh even when crimping gears 46 and50 are disengaged as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the crimping .gears areconstantly driven in synchronism with one another and will properlyintermesh when piston 66 is extended.

In order to produce intermittently textured or crimped yarn, piston 66of cylinder 62 is extended to produce the crimped portions and retractedto produce uncrimped portions. As indicated generally in FIGURE 1, thisoperation is produced by control circuit 70, which produces electricalsignals on conductors 72 and 74 for controlling compressed air fed tocylinder 62 from an air supply source 76.

Referring now to FIGURE 3 which shows control circuit 70 in detail,conductor 72 is connected to actuate a solenoid valve 78 when energized,while conductor 74 is similarly connected to actuate solenoid valve 80.Control circuit 70 includes a timer assembly 82 which periodicallyapplies a direct current (DC) signal to energize conductor 84 withrespect to a point of reference potential or ground. Conductor 84 isconnected in parallel to the ungrounded terminals of the windings of apair of relays 86 and 88. Relays 86 and 88 are therefore actuatedwhenever conductor 84 is energized by timer 82 and released whenconductor 84 is dc-energized.

A charging-current limiting resistor 90 connects DC. power supplyconductor 92 to one lower or normally closed contact 94 of relay 86. Theremaining lower contact 96 is connected through a capacitor 98 toground, so that when relay S6 is de-energized, capacitor 98 will becharged through resistor 90- from power supply conductor 92. Upper ornormally open contacts 100 and 102 of relay 86 are connectedrespectively to the ungrounded side of capacitor 98 and to conductor 72.Thus when relay 86 is actuated, the previously stored charge oncapacitor 98 flows through contacts 100 and 102 and through conductor 72to actuate solenoid 78;

An RC circuit including resistor 104 and capacitor106 is connectedacross contacts 94 and 96, to minimize arcing at these contacts duringoperation of relay 86. This affords greater reliability of operation andlonger life to relay 86. A similar RC 'circuit including resistor 108and capacitor 110 is connected across contacts 100 and 102.

A charging-curring limiting resistor 112 connects power supply conductor92 to one upper or normally open contact 114 on relay 88. The remainingnormally open contact 116 is connected through a capacitor 118 toground, so that when relay 88 is energized, capacitor 118 will becharged through resistor 112 from power supply conductor 92. The loweror normally closed contacts 120 and 122 are connected respectively tothe ungrounded side of capacitor 118 and to conductor 74. Thus whenrelay 88 is de-energized, the previously stored charge on capacitor 118flows through contacts 120 and 1.22 and through conductor 74 to actuatesolenoid 80.

The contacts of relay 88 are protected by RC circuits shunted across thecontacts in the same manner as is done with relay 86. Thus a capacitor124 and a resistor 126 constitute a first series RC circuit connectedacross contacts 114 and 116, while a capacitor 128 and resistor 130constitute an RC circuit connected across contacts 120 and 122.

The actuation of solenoid valves 78 and 80 are thus seen to be out ofphase with one another, i.e. these valves are alternately actuated bycontrol circuit 70. One of the solenoid valves is connected to controlthe air supplied to cylinder 62 so as to cause piston 66 to extend,while the other of the solenoid valves is connected to control the airsupplied to cylinder 62 so as to cause piston 66 to retract.

It should be particularly noted that while timer assembly 82 has beenillustrated for simplicity as a particular electromechanical mechanism,that other pulse generators may be devised which would produceappropriate control signals on conductor 84. In a successful reductionto practice, an Eagle Signal Company HL series timer was used togenerate the necessary signals on conductor 84. This last-mentionedtimer has a plurality-of switch contacts, each set of contacts beingoperated by an individual cam mechanism. The several sets of contactswere connected in parallel with each other and in series betweenconductors 92 and 84 in the circuit of FIGURE 3. This particular form oftimer affords great flexibility in selection of the timing and durationof signals applied to conductor 84 by adjustment of the several cams.Similar flexibility may be imparted to the structure depicted 82 inFIGURE 3 by adjusting the circumferential duration and spacing of cams132 which actuate the single illustrated pair of contacts 134.

While the choice of specific circuit components would vary according tothe specific application, the following table of exemplary .values isgiven-for use with the Eagle Signal Company HL series timer assembly:

Resistor 90 ohms 200 Resistor 104 do 27 Resistor 108 do 120 Resistor 112do 200 Resistor 126 do 27 Resistor 130 do 120 Capacitor 98 f microfarads40 Capacitor 106 do .05 Capacitor 110 d-o .004 Capacitor 118 do 40Capacitor 124 do .05 Capacitor 128 do .004

Relays 86 and 88 were C. P. Clare Company mercurywetted contact relays,type HGS 5014. Solenoid windings of solenoids 78 and 80 had 575 ohmsimpedance, while power supply conduct-or 92 was approximately 120 voltspositive with respect to ground.

It should be understood that a single relay may replace the specificallydisclosed two relays 86 and 88 if desired.

It may be seen from the above description and the accompa-nying drawingsthat the control circuits according to the present invention areparticularly adapted for control of apparatus for intermittentlytexturing yarn. Adjustment of the several cams 132 in duration or timingpermits variation in the meshed and disengaged periods of the texturinggears. Since there are a plurality of cams, the texturing gears areopened and closed in nurner ous different cyclic periods at high speeds.Charging of capacitor 98 while capacitor 118 is actuating a solenoid,and vice versa, particularly adapts the control circuit for high speedcontrol, which permits economical yarn processing speeds. The apparatusis simple, reliable and economical both in construction costs and inoperation.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and,since certain changes may bernade in the above construction withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A control circuit for alternately actuating first and secondmechanisms, comprising in combination:

(a) first and second capacitors,

(b) and control means for repetitively and alternately during successivetime periods:

(1) charging said first capacitor while discharging said secondcapacitor through said second mechanism,

(2) and charging said second capacitor while discharging said firstcapacitor through said first mechanism,

(c) said control means including means for independently selecting theduration and timing of said successive time periods.

2. An apparatus wherein a reversible fluid motor is alternately actuatedin a first direction and in the opposite direction, a timing circuit forcontrolling actuation of said motor, comprising in combination:

(a) a first solenoid valve energizable to actuate said motor in saidfirst direction,

(b) a second solenoid valve energizable to actuate said motor in saidopposite direction,

(c) first and second capacitors,

(d) and control means for repetitively and alternately during successivetime periods:

(1) charging said first capacitor while discharging said secondcapacitor through said second solenoid,

(2) and charging said second capacitor while discharging said firstcapacitor through said first solenoid.

3. The circuit defined in claim 2, wherein said control means includesmeans for independently selecting the duration and timing of saidsuccessive time periods.

4. An apparatus wherein a reversible fluid motor is alternately actuatedin a first direction and in the opposite direction, a timing circuit forcontrolling actuation of said motor, comprising in combination:

(a) relay means having a plurality of sets of normally open and normallyclosed contacts,

(b) first and second capacitors,

(c) first and second solenoid valves,

(d) a direct current supply conductor,

(e) a first set of said normally closed contacts connecting said firstcapacitor in series with a first resist-or to said direct current supplyconductor,

(f) a first set of said normally opened contacts connecting said firstcapacitor to said first solenoid,

(g) a second set of normally opened contacts connecting said secondcapacitor in series with a second resistor to said direct current supplyconductor,

(h) a second set of normally closed contacts connecting said secondcapacitor to said second solenoid,

(i) and a timer mechanism for repetitively and alternately energizingand de-energizing said relay means during successive time periods.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said timer mechanismincludes means for selectively varying the timing and duration of saidsuccessive time periods.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 4 further comprising a series circuitincluding resistance and capacitance connected across each said set ofcontacts.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Peters et al.

Edwards 3201 Schoenfeld 320-1 Smith 320-1 Irwin et a1. 28-1

1. A CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR ALTERNATELY ACTUATING FIRST AND SECOND MECHANISMS, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) FIRST AND SECOND CAPACITORS, (B) AND CONTROL MEANS FOR REPETITIVELY AND ALTERNATELY DURING SUCCESSIVE TIME PERIODS: (1) CHARGING SAID FIRST CAPACITOR WHILE DISCHARGING SAID SECOND CAPACITOR THROUGH SAID SECOND MECHANISM, (2) AND CHARGING SAID SECOND CAPACITOR WHILE DISCHARGING SAID FIRST CAPACITOR THROUGH SAID FIRST MECHANISM, (C) SAID CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR INDEPENENTLY SELECTING THE DURATION AND TIMING OF SAID SUCCESSIVE TIME PERIODS. 